well you think there are pressures at the top end of the game, think again, welcome to the world of nightmares in what was lower league football, but is now Non league football!

Monday, 21 September 2009

One month on...still no change

It's been just over a month since I posted on this blog, so time for an update following the stormy summer that was had at the Deva Stadium.

Well that stormy summer has now turned to an awful Autumn, as City maintain their place at the foot of the Blue Square Premier League table, thanks to the 25 point deduction handed out to the Blues before a ball was kicked.

Sure, it was always going to be hard to pick up the pieces after that deduction, but the fact is the current squad are not good enough to get out of the hole they find themselves in.

City are 23 points away from safety, so in theory, only 2 points better off than they were when they started the season, which is hardly the barnstorming start that we needed, but in reality, none of us really expected.

The job Mick Wadsworth found himself in should be renamed "Miracle Worker" as the task is certainly an unenviable one, but so far those miracles have been hard to find.

A point at Luton was the high point in the first four games as City found themselves up against the fancied teams of the League, in Cambridge, Oxford, Luton, and Mansfield, which by anyone's standards was a difficult line up of games to have, especially when you're desperately in need of points to survive.

Chester since then have improved, but with a record of won 2, drew 2, lost 2, as they defeated both Histon & Gateshead, drew with Altrincham & Eastbourne, but fell to defeat against Tamworth & Stevenage.

So, if the Blues had not been deducted the 25 points, they would actually be sitting three places clear of the relegation zone by now, and not firmly rooted to the table.

Despite the tally of 9 points gained this season, the fans have continued to drift away, probably quite predictably, as most are still extremely unhappy that Stephen Vaughan remains in charge of the club having guided them into Administration in the Summer, following his reluctance or inability - call it what you like - to ensure last season's transfer embargo was lifted, which basically put pay to any chance of staying in the League last year.

The final straw for a lot of Blues followers came in the match against Histon, when James Vaughan returned to the club he left Australia for, without any official statement to say he had re-signed, and went straight into the line up alongside his brother Stephen, who had made very little contribution to the team, bar a good performance at Luton.

During that win over Histon, the substitution of Stephen Vaughan was met with resounding cheers, possibly more so than when the goals went in - fans had decided enough was enough, they want the Vaughans out of Chester City Football Club.

The cheers or jeers, proved that fans can have an influence on team matters, as following this game, manager Mick Wadsworth decided that the two Vaughan brothers, needed to head out of the club on loan, and Stephen went to Northwich Victoria, and perhaps an indication of just how little he is rated, is the fact that he has made only one appearance as a substitute in his three games at the club.

The last game at the Deva on Saturday saw the fans behind the goal, who normally stand, sit down such was the lack of enthusiasm in the ground - the owner has certainly played his part in stripping the club of its heart and soul, and many have now become so dis-interested, they have stopped coming, and may not ever return, hopefully if there is a change of management at the very top, we may see some come back, but the damage could already have been done.

So, still not happy times at the Deva, hopefully the pain that Chester City fans have experienced must be amongst the worst football fans could have seen.